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Smile Gallery No-Nos

Standard

What’s a dental web site without good Before and After photos?

But honestly folks, most Smile Galleries, or Results pages or Before and After sections – whatever you call it – they seem to fall short. Most of these pages look like a hot mess and I’ll tell you why.

Most dentists don’t understand why people visit that area of their web site and what those future patients hope to find. I believe it is because most dentists are looking at something entirely different. They are looking at their artistry. Their patients, not so much. Please understand that what is appealing to you is not necessarily appealing to your patients. Frankly, while the intricate, artistic work you are trying to showcase may impress you and your colleagues, it is lost on most patients. Yes. I said it.

I believe that people look at these pages to imagine what might be possible for them. They want to “dream” and envision how they might look and how their life might be different. They might attract someone and develop a relationship, they may get that promotion, they might develop new-found confidence, maybe begin a whole new career path, or it could be as simple as feeling comfortable enough to smile again, or chew steak, or bite down on an apple. Anything you can do to help them connect with that feeling can encourage them to take that first step.

Here are my Top 3 Before and After No-Nos

No-No #1: Close-ups of just mouths

Detached mouths without faces are not compelling to patients. Besides the teeth, there are other subtle nuances that aren’t so attractive – namely male facial hair. Ugh. It really detracts from the beauty of the dental work. And while the work you’ve performed may be impressive, what they see does little to help patients connect with the benefits. I encourage you to display full faces instead of just mouths. It actually makes the difference even more dramatic and helps bring the humanity to what you do.

No-No #2: Scary Before Images

Clicking on a page and seeing scary Before images may do more to discourage than encourage potential patients – especially those who are fearful. I would prefer seeing beautiful After faces and smiles when I arrive on a Smile Gallery page.

How might they see the Before images to appreciate your work? How cool would it be to “roll over” the beautiful After image to reveal the Before image? I have seen this technique used in the past and it is SO much more impressive! Sadly, I searched my bookmarks and can’t find a single site that features after photos with a before rollover. Why not be the first? If you’ve fashioned your Gallery like this, please, please PLEASE send me a link. I would love to share it with your colleagues.

No-No #3: Anonymous Smiles

Who are these Before and After faces and what are their stories? Think about the impact it would make to include a brief story about their struggles, how they decided to make a change and how, with your help, it has made a difference in their life. This is where the magic can happen for people. Patients are more likely to connect with the quality of life benefits they are hoping to receive with your help. They will read something that makes them think “That’s me!”. It can give them courage and motivate them to action.

With these three No-Nos in mind, you’ve got roughly a month before the season of self-improvement rolls around: January. Take inventory of your own Smile Gallery and consider if making some changes might better serve your practice and encourage more potential patients to take the next step.

And if you need help coordinating the effort or telling your patient’s stories, give me a call. I can help you make over your smile gallery for greater impact.